Trevor Ng
Pitching is an important skill for golfers to master, but it can be intimidating for many players. Pitch shots are often considered to be in an in-between category that isn't quite the long game or the short game, so they can sometimes be overlooked during practice. However, with the right technique and plenty of practice, anyone can learn to pitch like a pro. Understanding the difference between a chip and a pitch is key, as a chip shot is a one-lever swing, while a pitch is two levers. To execute a pitch shot effectively, it's crucial to have good wrist mechanics and maintain a steady rate of rotation in your body, ensuring that no body part outraces another.
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What You'll Learn
Understand the difference between a chip and a pitch
While there are many common elements between chip and pitch shots, it is important to understand the difference between the two. A chip shot is a one-lever swing, while a pitch is a two-lever swing. The two levers on a pitch shot are your hands taking the club away and your wrists hinging the club.
Chip shots are generally hit close to the green, where the golfer does not need to carry the ball very far in the air and just wants to get the ball started and let it roll out towards the hole. It is a low shot that is played along the ground and spends little time in the air. If you can chip, then you’ll be able to pitch.
To set up properly for a short game shot, keep your stance narrow. Your feet should be spaced no more than a foot apart. Your trail foot should be close to square to your target line while the lead foot can be rotated open. Your stance and alignment should be anywhere from square to the target to slightly open, but never closed. Your weight should always be more on your lead foot, and your shoulders should be level. You do not want to tilt your spine back like you do for a full shot.
With pitching and chipping, you need to feel that your body parts move more in sync and at the same rate of rotation. In a full swing, the hips reverse directions and fire first to create lag in the downswing. In these short shots, you need to feel that everything is moving together and that no body part is outracing another. The faster you rotate through, the farther the ball will fly.
To pitch, keep your weight on your front side throughout the swing, approximately 60%. This will create a steeper angle of attack to hit down on the ball and pop it into the air. Hinge the club with your wrists when it reaches hip height on your backswing. Think of an L-shape. The club should be pointing at the sky, and your left arm (if you're right-handed) should be straight. This angle will help you to hit down on the correct angle of attack, so the ball can pop up into the air.
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Master the technique
Mastering the technique of pitching in ladies' golf requires a good understanding of the difference between a chip and a pitch, as well as the ability to make good contact with the ball and control its distance. Here are some key points to help you master the technique:
Understanding Chip vs Pitch
It is important to understand the difference between a chip and a pitch. A chip shot is a one-lever swing, while a pitch is a two-lever swing. The two levers in a pitch shot are created by your hands taking the club away and your wrists hinging the club. Think of it this way: if you can chip, you can pitch!
Body Positioning
Proper body positioning is crucial for executing effective pitch shots. Keep your weight on your front side throughout the swing, with approximately 60% of your weight centered on your lead foot. This creates a steeper angle of attack, helping you hit down on the ball and pop it into the air. Ensure your body moves in sync, with no single body part outracing another. Keep your eyes directly over the ball, and make sure your hands and club shaft are even with the ball and centered.
Wrist Action
Awareness of wrist action is essential in pitching. While you may not need as much flexion in your lead wrist during the pitch as in a full swing, it is crucial not to flip your wrists. Hinge the club with your wrists when it reaches hip height on your backswing, forming an L-shape. This angle will help you achieve the correct angle of attack to pop the ball into the air.
Practice and Feedback
Incorporating "random practice" can help you get comfortable with pitching. Throw some balls around the chipping green and try to land them in specific spots, allowing you to see the ball rolling slowly into the hole. This type of practice will build your confidence and trust in various situations around the green. Additionally, consider using tools like HackMotion audio feedback to set a range for your wrist position during pitch shots. This technology provides real-time feedback as you practice, helping you refine your technique.
Equipment
Understanding the equipment and its impact on your pitch shots is vital. Get to know the loft and bounce of your sand wedge, and ensure you have the proper wedges for your game. Professionals often carry four wedges, usually a PW and three other wedges with equal loft gapping. This selection allows for more precise shot-making.
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Practice with feedback
Audio Feedback Devices
Use audio feedback devices, such as HackMotion, to set a range for your desired wrist position during pitch shots. These devices provide live feedback as you practice, allowing you to make adjustments in real time. This technology can help you identify issues such as deceleration through impact, which can negatively impact your pitch shots.
Instructor Feedback
Consider seeking instruction from a golf professional, such as Maria Palozola, who offers lessons specifically on pitching and chipping. Instructors can provide personalized feedback on your technique, helping you to refine your swing and improve your pitch shots. They can also offer drills and exercises tailored to your needs.
Community Memberships
Join online communities or memberships dedicated to women's golf, such as Women's Golf or Women & Golf. These communities often provide access to expert instructors and structured coaching programs, along with personalized feedback and swing reviews. Interacting with fellow golfers can also provide an avenue for feedback and improvement.
Self-Assessment and Adjustment
While practicing, pay attention to your body's movement and make adjustments as needed. Feel the synergy of your body parts moving together, ensuring that no single body part outraces another. Focus on maintaining a steady rotation and accelerating through the ball, rather than decelerating, to achieve better pitch shots.
Understanding the Purpose of Pitch Shots
Take time to understand when to use a pitch shot versus a chip shot. Assess the situation and consider getting the ball on the ground quickly with a chip shot first. Knowing when to use each type of shot will help you make better decisions on the green.
By incorporating these feedback mechanisms into your practice routine, you'll be well on your way to improving your pitching skills in ladies' golf.
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Know when to use a pitch shot
Pitching is a fundamental aspect of golf that can help players navigate challenging situations and improve their overall performance. While it is a complex skill that requires dedicated practice, understanding when to use a pitch shot is crucial for strategic decision-making on the course. Here are some guidelines to help you know when to opt for a pitch shot over alternative options like chipping or putting:
Assess the Situation and Course Conditions: Before deciding on a pitch shot, it's important to evaluate the specific circumstances you face on the course. Consider the distance to the hole, the presence of obstacles, and the condition of the green. Ask yourself if there are any bunkers, sand traps, or undulations that might influence your shot selection. By analysing these factors, you can make a more informed decision about whether a pitch shot is the most suitable choice.
Understand the Difference Between Chipping and Pitching: Knowing when to chip and when to pitch is essential. Chipping is typically used when you have a clean look at the back of the ball, are close to the green, and don't need to carry the ball over any obstacles. It is a low-trajectory shot that spends little time in the air and involves a one-lever swing. In contrast, pitching is used when you need to carry the ball over a longer distance, clear an obstacle, or stop it more quickly near a difficult pin placement. It is a high-trajectory shot with more airtime and less roll, achieved through a two-lever swing.
Evaluate the Lie of the Ball: The lie of the ball refers to its position and contact with the ground. If you have a good lie, such as on the fairway or with a clean strike, chipping may be the preferred option as it allows for more control and a smoother roll towards the hole. On the other hand, if the lie is poor, such as in the rough or with a poor strike, a pitch shot might be more appropriate to get the ball up and out, ensuring a softer landing.
Consider the Required Shot: The type of shot required will play a significant role in your decision-making. If you are close to the green and there are no obstacles or immediate challenges, a chip shot is often the safer choice. It provides more control and precision in getting the ball rolling towards the hole. However, if you need to carry the ball over a longer distance, navigate around a bunker, or address a difficult pin placement, a pitch shot becomes more favourable. It allows you to lift the ball over obstacles and have it land softly, even in challenging conditions.
Master the Fundamentals: While understanding when to use a pitch shot is crucial, it's equally important to master the fundamentals of executing a pitch shot effectively. This includes practising with the right equipment, perfecting your wrist action and hinge, and maintaining a consistent swing. Remember that pitching is a complex skill that requires dedication and repetition to refine.
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Control distance and contact
Control and distance are key aspects of a successful pitch shot in golf. Pitching and chipping are very similar, but it's important to understand the difference: a chip shot is a one-lever swing, while a pitch is a two-lever swing. The two levers in a pitch shot are your hands taking the club away and your wrists hinging the club.
To control the distance of your pitch shots, it's important to develop a good sense of feel and finesse. This can take a lot of practice, but there are some exercises you can do to shortcut the learning process. One such exercise involves taking three lofted clubs to the practice range, such as a gap wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge. With each club, hit 10 full shots, and then 10 pitch shots with a short backswing, gripping right down the club with the narrowest stance. Pace out the average distance of those shots and write them down, creating a chart with wedges on one axis and partial shots on the other. Memorise this chart, or keep it in your golf bag, so you can refer to it on the course and choose the right club and length of backswing for the distance you need to hit.
Another way to think about distance control is to use the clock face system. Imagine your swing as the hands of a clock, with 10 and 2, or 11 and 1, being good for a longer pitch shot. The faster you rotate through, the farther the ball will fly, so you can adjust the distance by adjusting the rate of rotation.
It's also important to make good contact with the ball. A common fault when pitching is hinging the club incorrectly during the swing, or having the ball position too far forward, which can lead to hitting the top of the ball. To avoid this, the ball should be central in your stance, and you can experiment with moving it forward to play a pitch with more height. Keep your weight on your front side throughout the swing, and hinge the club with your wrists when it reaches hip height, forming an L-shape with the club pointing at the sky. This will help you hit down on the correct angle of attack, so the ball pops up into the air.
Finally, when you're practising your pitch shots, it's important to work on different distances to build up your muscle memory. Rather than just hitting the ball as far as you can, try hitting shots with different rates of rotation to see how this affects the distance.
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Frequently asked questions
Pitch shots are typically played from somewhere between 15 to 30 yards away from the target. They require less than a full swing but more than a chipping action.
A chip shot is a one-lever swing, while a pitch is a two-lever swing. The two levers on a pitch shot are your hands taking the club away and wrists hinging the club.
A common fault when pitching is leaning back through the shot to help the ball into the air. This can lead to a bad strike, causing the ball not to make it into the air. Another mistake is decelerating through impact, causing the hands to get out in front of the body.
Understanding the purpose of a pitch shot is important. Assess the situation and only use a pitch shot when you cannot putt or chip. When hitting a finesse wedge shot, consider the bounce, loft, and gravity. Keep your weight on your front side throughout the swing, with your body parts moving in sync at the same rate of rotation.
